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Pana G1 or D Lux 4?


hector_jorge

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Dear Forum friends:

I own a D Lux 3. It takes nice pictures and it is very easy to carry by its small size and weight, but I will like to upgrade to a viewfinder camera.I use glasses for reading, and I don`t like at all to put them on and off each time I take a picture, to see the camera screen and controls. So I have decided to buy a new camera. Pana G 1 or D Lux 4 are my options.What do you think could be more suitable for me?

My main interest are travel and family pictures. I love Leica and own 3 R and 4 RF Leica cameras, but at my age (67) Leica gear seems to be increasily heavy for me.

Many thanks in advance.

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Dear Forum friends:

I own a D Lux 3. It takes nice pictures and it is very easy to carry by its small size and weight, but I will like to upgrade to a viewfinder camera.I use glasses for reading, and I don`t like at all to put them on and off each time I take a picture, to see the camera screen and controls. So I have decided to buy a new camera. Pana G 1 or D Lux 4 are my options.What do you think could be more suitable for me?

My main interest are travel and family pictures. I love Leica and own 3 R and 4 RF Leica cameras, but at my age (67) Leica gear seems to be increasily heavy for me.

Many thanks in advance.

 

As you probably know, the G1 would allow you to mount M lenses through use of an adapter, so if you have lots of M lenses (either bayonet or LTM mount), that could be a determining factor for you. There is a whole thread (very long) discussing the merits of M lenses on the G1: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/73949-dreaded-comparison-thread-g1-m8-2-a.html

 

Jeff.

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There is an improvement in IQ but other than that the D Lux 3 and the D Lux 4 are mostly identical with no optical or electronic VF. The G1 has both the LCD and Electronic viewfinder so for those of us with degrading eyesight it is a far better option. In fact with manual focus you get an enlarged image at either 5x or 10x so focusing is easier than with the optical VF on the M series of cameras. The G1 is a little too big to pocket though carrying it with a wrist strap works well. It is very light unless you put a big heavy Leica lens on it. The two Kit lenses are both excellent and very sharp. The Oly pancake 25/2.8 makes it pretty small as will the new 20/1.7 when it comes available.

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I too have a D Lux3 and made the decision to go with a G1 (over the D Lux4). I can't carry the camera on my belt any more but the picture quality is vastly improved. As you have M lenses then I'd say this would be a good choice. I wear glasses as well but I do take them off when I look through the view finder. For the LCD I switch back and forth. The view finder has a focus adjustment so images are clear. You may be able to rent the camera to try it out.

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The Leica D-Lux 4 and Panasonic DMC-LX3 have an accessory hotshoe. Hurray! What a revolutionary idea! That means you can mount an accessory, large, clear viewfinder. But it has to be a 24, unless you use separate ones to cover the zoom range of 24 to 60mm (equivalent).

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  • 2 weeks later...
I would get BOTH! I have and am totally amazed at what the D-Lux 4 can do!

 

 

I have both as well - they make a magnificent pairing!

I added the grip to the D-Lux 4, and that makes a big difference (since my D-Lux 3) - ie the ability to hang the camera from your fingers & thumb, or use one-handed.

 

But the DR combined with the f2 lens makes this thing very special.

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At this stage of the game, I would seriously consider the G1. Since you can mount M lenses this makes it quite attractive as a backup to the M8. If you can wait a while though, I'm pretty sure that Olympus will bring out their Micro 4/3rds soon. Olympus has manufactured some of the best camera's around (just take the OM series), and chances are pretty good that they will trump Panasonic, who is still fairly new in the SLR scene.

 

Andreas

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The only argument against the G1 is, that a wideangle lens for the MFT fails. The DL4 has this interesting 24equi mm with f2.

I am 70 years old and have similar problems with seeing. I now have the Kodak P880 and I never use the LCD screen for shooting. The LCD screen could - for my sake - be delivered as an attachment. The live VF works excellently.

For my IIIf (from 1958) I have bought a couple of expensive viewfinders (28, 90, 135 mm). I cannot understand, why these marketing people of the DL4 go the way back.

Jan

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The only advantage the Dlux 4 has over the G1 is size. Otherwise, the G1 offers much more in every respect in a reasonably small and ergonomically nice body. For travel and family shots, the G1 is hard to beat. As others said, ideally one has both the Dlux4 (or Pana lx3) and the G1.

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I have both, but in the meantime I prefer the G1. It`s my smaller big boy compared to my R9+DMR. Important: You should use the firmware update V 1.1!

But you are right, there should be a 10 mm (= real 20 mm) lens to make better landscape pictures.

 

If you are German speaking look at the German part of this forum.

 

Regards Hans

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